I have set up a test network to determine how difficult it can be to upgrade from NT and Exchange 5.5 to Server 2003 and Exchange 2003, however my experience with Active Directory is nonexistent. I was wondering if it was best just to upgrade the domain or create an entirely new domain. A colleague who had worked with Active Directory had mentioned that it important that each PC's SID is different, however I know there are quite a few PCs with the same SID, so I wonder what problems that will cause? I was also wondering if it would be necessary to have the Exchange 5.5 servers running on Windows 2000 because most of the servers are on NT4 server, while 1 Exchange 5.5 server is running on Windows 2000. I have set up the Active Directory Connector on the 2000 server in the test environment, however, I cannot move Exchange 5.5 mailboxes to the Exchange 2003 server. I was also wondering if anyone has any suggestions on books or web sites to read to help ease this upgrade.
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations bkrike on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Questions on upgrading NT4 Server to Server 2K3 and Exchange 5.5 to Ex
- Thread starter richough
- Start date
There is alot to consider when upgrading from Windows NT/Exchange 5.5 to 2003. If you realy have no experience with Active Directory, you might want to consider hiring in some outside help like a contractor or support service company.
The best method for your network will depend on how large and complex your existing infrastructure is. One option would be to preform an inplace upgrade which will preserve your network current setting.
Another would be to build your new domain along side with you exchange 2003 added to the same org and migrate all of the user and computers to the new domain. This would sort the SID issue on the PC's.
Exchange 2003 works completely differently from Exchange 5.5. Like with 5.5 you could have a single user with multipule mailboxes, however in 2003 each mailboxes needs to have its own account. Mail enabled object are different. Depending on how your public folder have been shared i.e. permissions set by user or distrubition group have been set, will determine how the migration will be preformed.
From a business point of view you should ready get a clear understanding of AD and how exchange works before you move forward with the upgrade.
The best method for your network will depend on how large and complex your existing infrastructure is. One option would be to preform an inplace upgrade which will preserve your network current setting.
Another would be to build your new domain along side with you exchange 2003 added to the same org and migrate all of the user and computers to the new domain. This would sort the SID issue on the PC's.
Exchange 2003 works completely differently from Exchange 5.5. Like with 5.5 you could have a single user with multipule mailboxes, however in 2003 each mailboxes needs to have its own account. Mail enabled object are different. Depending on how your public folder have been shared i.e. permissions set by user or distrubition group have been set, will determine how the migration will be preformed.
From a business point of view you should ready get a clear understanding of AD and how exchange works before you move forward with the upgrade.
I think this will help you. I was fortunate enough to be on the project to develop some of the documents for this.
Your issue with moving mailboxes from 5.5 to 2003, did you install Exchange 2003 in the same site as 5.5? You should be able to highlight a user in AD Users and Computers and select Move mailbox from the right click menu's Exchagne Tasks.
I hope you find this post helpful.
Regards,
Mark
Your issue with moving mailboxes from 5.5 to 2003, did you install Exchange 2003 in the same site as 5.5? You should be able to highlight a user in AD Users and Computers and select Move mailbox from the right click menu's Exchagne Tasks.
I hope you find this post helpful.
Regards,
Mark
NetworkDOC
MIS
To answer some of your questions:
"I was wondering if it was best just to upgrade the domain or create an entirely new domain."
Depends. As ATM mentioned the overal picture must be evaluated to determine the best route to get to where you want to be.
"so I wonder what problems that will cause?"
You probably ghosted the pc's. Well... If you do a true migration you will append to your SID with the new "domain".
"I was also wondering if it would be necessary to have the Exchange 5.5 servers running on Windows 2000 because most of the servers are on NT4 server, while 1 Exchange 5.5 server is running on Windows 2000."
Servers can be running either nt 4 or 2000. Doesn't matter.
" have set up the Active Directory Connector on the 2000 server in the test environment, however, I cannot move Exchange 5.5 mailboxes to the Exchange 2003 server."
Depending on which method you choose, where your Exchange servers are listed depends on whether you can move as Marc stated.
Good reading....
If you go to Microsoft's web site look at the products Exchange server 2003, then on the right hand side, and down toward the bottom there are numerous documents to asist you in doing this.
Some things you didn't mention but may want to consider:
User profiles
User accounts
printer assignments
using resources in multiple domains
Workgroups using domain resources
Clustering
Front end servers/back end servers
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
Depending on for example, you want/need to retain user profiles and printer assignments will determine which method best suits you.
LOTS of questions and LOTS of decisions to make during this endeavor.
You are approaching this the right way though. Often as not most people don't set up a test environment. They just jump right on in...
You aren't about to do anything that many folks haven't already done. So with that there is experience in the NET that can help you through the tight spots.
I do have to say depending on your experience, with other facets of NT you will have a WHOLE lot of learning and deciding before it comes together.
"I was wondering if it was best just to upgrade the domain or create an entirely new domain."
Depends. As ATM mentioned the overal picture must be evaluated to determine the best route to get to where you want to be.
"so I wonder what problems that will cause?"
You probably ghosted the pc's. Well... If you do a true migration you will append to your SID with the new "domain".
"I was also wondering if it would be necessary to have the Exchange 5.5 servers running on Windows 2000 because most of the servers are on NT4 server, while 1 Exchange 5.5 server is running on Windows 2000."
Servers can be running either nt 4 or 2000. Doesn't matter.
" have set up the Active Directory Connector on the 2000 server in the test environment, however, I cannot move Exchange 5.5 mailboxes to the Exchange 2003 server."
Depending on which method you choose, where your Exchange servers are listed depends on whether you can move as Marc stated.
Good reading....
If you go to Microsoft's web site look at the products Exchange server 2003, then on the right hand side, and down toward the bottom there are numerous documents to asist you in doing this.
Some things you didn't mention but may want to consider:
User profiles
User accounts
printer assignments
using resources in multiple domains
Workgroups using domain resources
Clustering
Front end servers/back end servers
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
Depending on for example, you want/need to retain user profiles and printer assignments will determine which method best suits you.
LOTS of questions and LOTS of decisions to make during this endeavor.
You are approaching this the right way though. Often as not most people don't set up a test environment. They just jump right on in...
You aren't about to do anything that many folks haven't already done. So with that there is experience in the NET that can help you through the tight spots.
I do have to say depending on your experience, with other facets of NT you will have a WHOLE lot of learning and deciding before it comes together.
Just to enforce it, the link I gave is for prescriptive architecture and gives step by step instruction on doing this exact kind of migration.
I'm currently working on version 2.0 for Medium IT. The guidance is very thorough and I am certain you will find it useful.
I hope you find this post helpful.
Regards,
Mark
I'm currently working on version 2.0 for Medium IT. The guidance is very thorough and I am certain you will find it useful.
I hope you find this post helpful.
Regards,
Mark
We are midway through our upgrade from NT to 2003AD and soon to migrate from Exch5.5 to Ex2003. We are a small, single domain company with no need for more so we chose the upgrade route.
Our major work was to first isolate our PDC/BDC functionality so that domain controllers could be independently upgraded without concern for breaking applications. We purged obsolete user, group and machine accounts. The two BDCs were permanently disconnected and powered off (old hardware!) and we upgraded our PDC to 2003 AD Interim. We did this 2 weeks ago and have had no difficulties whatsoever; had we problems, we always could ultimately backed out completely by shutting down the DCs and bringing back one of the BDCs to promote to NT PDC.
We will soon bring up an Ex2003 server within our current Ex5.5 site and then migrate accounts.
Although you may already have your testing environment already as you like it, we found it extremely helpful to use WMWare Workstation to create a simulation of our production NT/5.5 network and then upgrade it to 2003/2003. A valuable VMWare feature is the ability to repeatedly clone your test network so that you can practice potential upgrades or migrations in an if/then manner as often as you like and actually experience your new environments. Our test network included servers for PDC, SQL7 & Exch5.5 as well as NT, 2000 & XP clients.
The previous posts have been excellent and I'd suggest reading as much as possible but there's also nothing like practice.
Good luck
Our major work was to first isolate our PDC/BDC functionality so that domain controllers could be independently upgraded without concern for breaking applications. We purged obsolete user, group and machine accounts. The two BDCs were permanently disconnected and powered off (old hardware!) and we upgraded our PDC to 2003 AD Interim. We did this 2 weeks ago and have had no difficulties whatsoever; had we problems, we always could ultimately backed out completely by shutting down the DCs and bringing back one of the BDCs to promote to NT PDC.
We will soon bring up an Ex2003 server within our current Ex5.5 site and then migrate accounts.
Although you may already have your testing environment already as you like it, we found it extremely helpful to use WMWare Workstation to create a simulation of our production NT/5.5 network and then upgrade it to 2003/2003. A valuable VMWare feature is the ability to repeatedly clone your test network so that you can practice potential upgrades or migrations in an if/then manner as often as you like and actually experience your new environments. Our test network included servers for PDC, SQL7 & Exch5.5 as well as NT, 2000 & XP clients.
The previous posts have been excellent and I'd suggest reading as much as possible but there's also nothing like practice.
Good luck
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- Question